Who Needs A Smart Water Bottle?

A Sea of Water Bottles

There are a lot of sports water bottles out there. If you search Amazon for water bottles, you’d see more than 50,000 results. Seriously. Try it. They come in every shape, size, color and style you can think of. Amazon divides them by capacity, material, features, brands and price so you can find the perfect water bottle for your lifestyle. Good luck.

Water bottles are clearly a commodity (40,000 are listed under $25), so how do you find one that you’ll really love? If you are thinking of upgrading your water bottle, maybe it’s time to think smart. Smart water bottles offer much more than the 50,000 basic bottles on Amazon. But search Amazon for smart water bottle and you might be surprised what is considered “smart.”

Collapsible water bottles, fruit infuser water bottles, water bottles with speakers, and water bottles than hold a smartphone are among the “smart” water bottles you will find. Are these really that smart? They might have clever design features, but in today’s technological world, a water bottle that can hold a lemon isn’t exactly intelligent.

What Is A Truly Smart Water Bottle?

Just like any food brand can claim their product is “natural” without having to prove it actually is so, water bottle manufacturers can claim their water bottles are “smart.” The word “smart” isn’t regulated, there are no standards or guidelines as to how it can be legally used. That’s why you can find more than 400 water bottles on Amazon under the “smart” description. Not so fast.

Smart water bottles are all about technology, connected devices and information. The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed the way we shop, communicate and gather information. Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-fi and other technology advances make it possible for us to not only enjoy a piece of technology but connect it to other pieces of technology so they communicate with each other. In essence, we are creating a web of devices around us that are intended to make us smarter and more productive in less time.

A smart water bottle embeds technology somewhere in its design that can measure fluid intake and then connect to an app that has pre-inputted personal information, such as weight, gender, age, climate, etc. Now, you’re not only drinking from a water bottle, but you’re keeping informed on just how much water you should be drinking based on your body type, activity, exertion and climate, for example. This is smart. But it gets better.

Do I Really Need A Smart Water Bottle?

Any reusable plastic water bottle will do, right? Sure, it will hold your water and you can refill it, but now that everything has gotten smart, why not consider what features you might be missing?

Some smart water bottles connect to other devices and apps, such as Fitbit. Why is this important? Every step you take is measured. Every sip is gauged. Heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, and calories are noted. And each one of those has an impact on your hydration. That’s why hydration isn’t a one size fits all sort of thing. Sure, you can drink eight glasses of water but until you consider all of the variables just mentioned, you’re really just guessing.

Here are five signs a smart water bottle belongs in your gym bag:

You own a Fitbit or other fitness wearable device

You care about hydration and find it hard to know how much to drink

You want scientific data to back up hydration recommendations

You understand how dehydration affects the body and performance

You love technology and want to impress your trainer

1. You Own A Fitbit

Fitbits were made to connect with other apps and devices. The Fitbit does one thing really well - keep track of your personal body and activity data. This data is a goldmine because it lays the foundation for so much more. There are plenty of other apps and devices that can leverage this data to keep you better informed, help you do more, or encourage you towards better health.

The smart water bottle was designed to use this type of personal information to give you customized recommendations about how much water you really need. Hydration is important - for performance, health and even appearance. Do you really want to guess at it? How many times have you thought you probably should have had more water that day? With a smart water bottle connected to a Fitbit, you’ll not only know how much water you should drink but gentle reminders to keep you on track.

2. You Care about Hydration

Whether you’re an elite athlete training at the highest levels, a weekender or work out whenever you have the time, you’re going to perform and feel better when you’re hydrated. You probably already know that and that’s why you are interested in smart water bottles. You understand the role hydration plays in your overall health but you may not know how much is adequate.

A smart water bottle removes the mystery so you can stay hydrated without having to always think about it. You can receive reminders and recommendations via the smart water bottle app. You can have the water bottle measure your intake instead of trying to calculate it yourself. It doesn’t get any easier to stay hydrated.

3. You Want Data

It’s one thing for someone to tell you that you should drink until your pee is clear or assume hydration is as simple as calculating the number of ounces of water per pound of body weight. That’s not science; that’s guesswork because it leaves out too many variables. If you need proof, hard data, factual evidence of the exact amount of fluids you need to be considered adequately hydrated, you need a smart water bottle.

Smart water bottles provide the data you need, based on science, based on your personal data. Link it to your Fitbit or other activity tracker and you have hydration at the micro level. This is science geared towards your own body, activity, climate and other factors that play into how much fluid your body is losing so you know how much fluid you need to replace it.

4. You Get Dehydration

You understand dehydration. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with it via cramps, dizziness, headaches or even fainting. Maybe you’ve seen your energy and performance levels plummet. You know dehydration isn’t anything to mess around with and you know how fast it can come on.

Smart water bottles ensure you always have the information you need to stay hydrated. It considers the climate, such as ambient air temperature and humidity. It considers elevation. It calculates body weight, gender and age. It includes the activity and how much energy you are exerting. Based on this personal information, you receive your hydration goal and reminders to make sure you’re not slipping into the danger zone. Say goodbye to dehydration for good.

5. You Love Technology

Sometimes you just want to be the coolest kid on the block. Only a few years ago, we’d never think that a water bottle could get us there. Water bottles, smart or not, are a big business. Certain brands have staked their entire business model on developing beautiful, stylish water bottles to be worn as the hippest accessory. While these water bottles might be pretty, they aren’t going to get the oohs and ahhs of one with built-in technology.

The smart water bottle is going to get attention. It’s going to intrigue and elicit questions. Instead of simply saying it’s pretty, now you can tell them what all it does. That’s when you’re really going to impress them. Watch their faces when you tell them how it eliminates the risk of dehydration, how it gives you personal recommendations on when and how much to drink based on your own activity level and body type. Ask them how much water they’ve had today and if they know whether or not that amount is adequate. You’ll likely see a blank face.

Hydration is a critical element of health. With a smart water bottle, you’re putting your health first. You’re not relying on old wives’ tales or a random number that has nothing to do with your body. You’re not going to forget to drink. Toss your old reusable plastic water bottle in the recycle bin and wrap your sweaty hand around a smart water bottle. Your body is going to thank you.